Not content to be just faces in fashion, celebrities are designing for brands

Lisa of Blackpink has a watch to which she helped designed. Photo: Bulgari

When you think of celebrities in the fashion world, you would picture them as ambassadors or spokespeople. Not all of them though, as some of the more influential ones have moved on to actually designing for brands.

Hailey Bieber for example, has a range under Vogue Eyewear. The model recently released a third collection, which is said to embody her low-key chic style.

“Starting with basics, that are anything but basic,” reads the description.

K-pop superstar Lisa even helped to design a watch for Bulgari. The Blackpink member put her stamp on one of the luxury brand’s iconic timepieces earlier this year.

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According to Bulgari’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin, Lisa came up with the idea to create a limited edition timepiece during the filming of the brand’s Inside The Dream documentary.

“We discussed watches together and (Lisa) very much suggested a very special interpretation of our Bulgari Bulgari watch icon with a new unique dial of her liking and special engraving and packaging,” he wrote on Instagram.

Hailey Bieber released a range of eyewear for those looking to emulate her style. Photo: Vogue Eyewear

Lisa of Blackpink worked with Bulgari to help update an iconic model. Photo: Bulgari

If you think these are just cases of the fashion world pulling a marketing stunt, then consider the appointment of Pharrell Williams as creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear. The singer-songwriter is now heading the luxury fashion house’s men’s division – a big (and real) responsibility indeed.

Nevertheless, Williams has founded other fashion brands in the past: Billionaire Boys Club streetwear and Ice Cream footwear. So, it is not as if he has zero experience in fashion design.

He will showcase his first collection for Louis Vuitton in June during Paris Fashion Week Men’s, with the anticipation already building up among fans.

Pharrell Williams is the head of Louis Vuitton menswear. Photo: Louis Vuitton

The aim for such collaborations is, of course, to bring in new customers. Yet, they can also backfire.

Look at the Kanye West fallout late last year. After his controversial statements and antics, Balenciaga, Adidas and Gap were forced to sever ties with the rapper.

What happened then to the products he designed? They were withdrawn.

Rihanna has managed to find some success with her lingerie label. Photo: Savage x Fenty

Secondhand marketplace platforms declined to list his merchandise after what happened, which meant his designs ended up on the rubbish heap to be incinerated.

Perhaps the benefit of having a celebrity designer is worth the risk.

The Bulgari Bulgari x Lisa watch, priced at US$5,900 (RM26,100) for the 23mm size and US$6,750 (RM29,900) for the 33mm, reportedly sold out in less than 12 hours when released in January.

Then, there are celebrities who did not join a fashion brand, but instead came up with their own labels.

Music sensation Rihanna found incredible success when she launched her Fenty clothing label back in 2019. However, even her star power (and backing by fashion conglomerate LVMH) could not sustain it, and it was discontinued two years later.

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Her other brands, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin, and lingerie label, Savage x Fenty are still popular, though.

Victoria Beckham, once part of the girl group Spice Girls, has long had her own womenswear brand. Sadly, it reported continuous losses since launching in 2008 – up until recently.

Women’s Wear Daily wrote in March that her brand turned profitable for the first time in 2022. However, the full profit and loss account will only be published later this year.